I, a U.S. citizen, own Barrett Firearms Mfg. Inc., and for 20 years I have built .50 caliber rifles for my fellow citizens, for their Law Enforcement departments and for their nation's armed forces.

You may be aware of the latest negative misinformation campaign from a Washington based anti-gun group, the Violence Policy Center. The VPC has, for three or so years, been unsuccessful in Washington, D.C. trying to demonize and ban a new subclass of firearms, the .50 caliber and other "too powerful" rifles. This type of nibbling process has been historically successful in civilian disarmament of other nations governed by totalitarian and other regimes less tolerant of individual rights than the United States .

The VPC's most recent efforts directs this misinformation campaign at your state, attempting to get any California body to pass any law against .50 caliber firearms. In March 2002 the VPC caused the California State Assembly, Public Safety Committee to consider and reject the issue by a 5 to 0 with 1 abstaining vote.

Regrettably, the same material has been presented to your city council. I personally attended the council meeting in Los Angeles regarding attempts to bar ownership of the .50 caliber rifle in your city. I was allowed to briefly address the council. The tone of the discussion was mostly emotionally based, so the facts that I attempted to provide were ineffective to the extent they were heard at all. The council voted to have the city attorney draft an ordinance to ban the .50, and further, to instruct the city's representatives in Sacramento and in Washington D.C. to push for bans at their respective levels.

At that council meeting, I was very surprised to see an LAPD officer seated front and center with a Barrett 82A1 .50 cal rifle. It was the centerpiece of the discussion. As you know, there have been no crimes committed with these rifles, and most importantly, current California law does not allow the sale of the M82AI in the state because of its detachable magazine and features that make it an "assault weapon." This rifle was being deceptively used by your department. The officer portrayed it as a sample of a currently available .50 cal rifle, available for sale to the civilians of Los Angeles. One councilman even questioned how this rifle was available under current laws, but as I stated, facts were ineffective that day.

Your officer, speaking for the LAPD, endorsed the banning of this rifle and its ammunition. Then he used the rifle for photo ops with the Councilmen each of whom, in handling the firearm, may have been committing a felony. I was amazed.

Since 1968, with the closing of the U.S. Springfield Amory, all of the small arms produced for the various government agencies are from the private sector. Every handgun, rifle or shotgun that law enforcement needs comes from this firearms industry. Unless the City of Los Angeles has plans of setting up its own firearms manufacturing, it may need to guard the manufacturing sources it has now.

When I returned to my office from Los Angeles, I found an example of our need for mutual cooperation. Your department had sent one of your 82A1 rifles in to us for service. All of my knowledge in the use of my rifle in the field of law enforcement had been turned upside down by witnessing how your department used yours. Not to protect and serve, but for deception, photo opportunities, and to further an ill-conceived effort that may result in the use of LA taxpayer monies to wage losing political battles in Washington against civil liberties regarding gun ownership.

Please excuse my slow response on the repair service of the rifle. I am battling to what service I am repairing the rifle for. I will not sell, nor service, my rifles to those seeking to infringe upon the Constitution and the crystal clear rights it affords individuals to own firearms.

I implore you to investigate the facts of the .50, to consider the liberties of the law-abiding people and our mutual coexistence, and to change your department's position on this issue.

Since 1968, with the closing of the U.S. Springfield Amory, all of the small arms produced for the various government agencies are from the private sector. Every handgun, rifle or shotgun that law enforcement needs comes from this firearms industry. Unless the City of Los Angeles has plans of setting up its own firearms manufacturing, it may need to guard the manufacturing sources it has now.

[...]Your department had sent one of your 82A1 rifles in to us for service. All of my knowledge in the use of my rifle in the field of law enforcement had been turned upside down by witnessing how your department used yours. Not to protect and serve, but for deception, photo opportunities, and to further an ill-conceived effort [...] against civil liberties regarding gun ownership.

[...]I will not sell, nor service, my rifles to those seeking to infringe upon the Constitution and the crystal clear rights it affords individuals to own firearms.

Since the VPC always points out that a 50 caliber rifle can shoot through armored tanks, can shoot down aircraft, and can be used for all kinds of other scary military uses I want to ask one simple question.

What does a policeman need a 50 caliber BMG rifle for?

10
posted on 02/04/2003 7:09:26 PM PST
by FreedomCalls
(It's the "Statue of Liberty" not the "Statue of Security.")

Can the States of the United States come together and vote to do away with a State? Kalifornia does not speak for the rest of the country nor does it abide by the laws of the land...seem like if we voted them in the union we could vote them out!

Wish it were so, but Kalifornia has a loud and whiny voice in both DC and the media. More sound than substance, as it were... I keep hoping for the BIG earthquake that will set them adrift on the wide blue sea, never to be seen (or heard from) again!

14
posted on 02/04/2003 7:36:48 PM PST
by cavtrooper21
(Shoot 'em if they stand, cut 'em if they run!)

I have expressed that exact same sentiment before. I'm glad that someone agrees with me. Police were never intended to be militarized like they have become. I have stated in the past that the whole Ruby Ridge incident could have been avoided by not sending in the SWAT team but by sending in a pot-bellied old sheriff to knock on Randy Weaver's door and say "Hey Randy, what's up? Ya know you missed yer court date the other day." Then Randy would have said, "No I didn't." and the sheriff could have said "They changed the date on you. You didn't know?" and all would have been well. But the minute you surround the place with BATF SWAT commandos, you have to expect things to turn out differently.

20
posted on 02/04/2003 8:03:34 PM PST
by FreedomCalls
(It's the "Statue of Liberty" not the "Statue of Security.")

Not unlike the freddies and the moose parading around the variety of semi auto rifles
and their inacurate portrayel of their (the rifles) being particularly deadly compared to any other rifle of rifle of similar or larger caliber...

But then truth is not the weapon of choice for gun grabbers and others who hate Americans and their freedom...

The battle won't get to me...at least not anytime soon. Luckily most places in my neck of the woods are a good fifty years from even thinking about being like "progressive" California. Mind you, I feel for those good people who are left in communist states such as CA.

Since 1968, with the closing of the U.S. Springfield Armory, all of the small arms produced for the various government agencies are from the private sector. Every handgun, rifle or shotgun that law enforcement needs comes from this firearms industry. Unless the City of Los Angeles has plans of setting up its own firearms manufacturing, it may need to guard the manufacturing sources it has now.

I say that the firearm manufacturers refuse to sell to state agencies like California, Maryland, New York and New Jersey. The states with harsh gun control laws take the customers of these manufacturers and will most likely file lawsuits against them in the future. Let the cops go unarmed and see how long the order of state holds together without evil guns.

Since 1968, with the closing of the U.S. Springfield Amory, all of the small arms produced for the various government agencies are from the private sector. Every handgun, rifle or shotgun that law enforcement needs comes from this firearms industry. Unless the City of Los Angeles has plans of setting up its own firearms manufacturing, it may need to guard the manufacturing sources it has now.

When I returned to my office from Los Angeles, I found an example of our need for mutual cooperation. Your department had sent one of your 82A1 rifles in to us for service. All of my knowledge in the use of my rifle in the field of law enforcement had been turned upside down by witnessing how your department used yours. Not to protect and serve, but for deception, photo opportunities, and to further an ill-conceived effort that may result in the use of LA taxpayer monies to wage losing political battles in Washington against civil liberties regarding gun ownership.

Please excuse my slow response on the repair service of the rifle. I am battling to what service I am repairing the rifle for. I will not sell, nor service, my rifles to those seeking to infringe upon the Constitution and the crystal clear rights it affords individuals to own firearms.

I implore you to investigate the facts of the .50, to consider the liberties of the law-abiding people and our mutual coexistence, and to change your department's position on this issue.

ATTA BOY RONNIE!

Now if the other manufacturers could demonstrate a lick of common sense and switch on to the FACT that this is one of the most effective tools (free enterprise) to protect all of our rights, the howling of screechy little communist anti-American rights-robbers of the anti-gun clicks will fall on VERY deaf ears!

Here's what the VPC says: Criminal Use of the 50 Caliber Sniper Rifle Two of the instances they list: Branch Davidian cult members fired 50 caliber sniper rifles at federal agents during their initial gun battle on February 28, 1993. The weapons' ability to penetrate "any tactical vehicle in the FBI's inventory" prompted the agency to request military armored vehicles "to give FBI personnel adequate protection from the .50 caliber rifles" and other more powerful weapons the Branch Davidians might have had.

On February 27, 1992, a Wells Fargo armored delivery truck was attacked in a "military style operation" in Chamblee, Georgia, by several men using a smoke grenade and a Barrett 50 caliber sniper rifle. Two employees were wounded.

You are correct this is a DOD weapon modification. Won't be for civvies in this country till our goobermint trusts it's citizens again.......no I ain't holding my breath either :o)

I carried a Barrett 82A1 as part of my EOD tool kit while active duty and now have one for my own. Confidence is high for arrogant Coyotes who think 1300 meter standoff is "safe"....... Albeit my personal best with Black Hills ball is just shy of 1150 on a yote here in the Panhandle. We used the raufaus rounds in EOD work versus ball most of the time....... Very effective. This new "caliber" will be one kewl tewl for EOD and snipers alike.

Bravo ! Stay Safe !

47
posted on 02/04/2003 11:17:37 PM PST
by Squantos
(RKBA the original version of Homeland Security .....the one proven method that works !)

Now I just know the BATF and the CT Legislature will not let me at one of these toys but this seems like the ideal aboard gun for traveling in some of the worlds more dangerous waters such as the Southwest Pacific and parts of the Carribean.

The use of that muzzle break might on a boly action rifle might get the felt recoil almost on par with a .22cal rimfire. I will be curious as to how the reliablity holds up with those multiple recoil buffer springs in teh upper reciever but conversion kits for an existing Barrett M82A1 seem like a good idea. Besides a coversion kit is not a new firearm as the reciever is already legal in most states, not CT but nothing says I can not have one in some different state provided I legally aquired it.

Given that the lower reciever is the serial numbered part what law would make this illegal to own if one had it in conversion kit form? In other words the M82A1 in .50 BMG and the upper reciever, barrel and magazne that attach to the .50BMG lower reciever?

I think were SOL for ammo sources in the USA. We could hire out as Mercs in some third world apple orchard security inc limited corp ect ect and get Uncle money bags to foot the bill and the import license ?.......Not that I haven't been thinking about it :o)

As you state .....one hell of a shark gun !

Hey Patton wheres that old gomers with no future job list you have hid ? Harp and I need some cover for this new toy !

Stay Safe !

50
posted on 02/04/2003 11:33:29 PM PST
by Squantos
(RKBA the original version of Homeland Security .....the one proven method that works !)

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